1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a contact arrangement for electrical connection of a large number of first electrical contact points, which are arranged on an essentially planar surface of a first substrate, having a corresponding number of second electrical contact points which are arranged on an essentially planar surface of a second substrate, including a flat insulating body in which holes are formed in the grid size of the first and second contact points, through each of which holes, which is in the form of a plated-through hole, an electrical conductor passes, and contact elements which are electrically connected to the respective plated-through hole are attached to the hole ends on both sides of the insulating body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Highly complex electrical components such as processors in some cases have hundreds of contact points which have to be electrically connected to corresponding mating contacts, for example on a printed circuit board. It is known for these contact points to be provided in the form of a so-called Land Grid Array ("LGA"). In this case, contact points are arranged in a regular grid size on an essentially planar contact surface. They are connected to the corresponding mating contact elements on a printed circuit board or on another component by means of a contact arrangement as mentioned initially, rather than by soldering. In a contact arrangement of the type mentioned initially which is marketed by the company CINCH and is known of the Company Document "CIN::APSE" of the company LABINAL COMPONENTS & SYSTEMS Inc. CINCH CONNECTOR DIVISION, U.S.A., button contacts are arranged in the holes in the insulating body, which button contacts include a tangle of thin conductive wire and project by a small amount beyond the insulating body at the hole ends. This contact arrangement is inserted between the mutually opposite contact points. The two substrates for the contact points are then mechanically pressed against one another. The elasticity of the wire tangle of the individual button contacts produces a reliable electrical connection between the mutually opposite contact points on the two substrates. A comparable contact arrangement is likewise described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,320.
A contact arrangement of the known type is extraordinarily complex to manufacture. The button contacts have a diameter of about 0.5 to about 1 mm. Their production and the insertion of the button contacts into the holes in the insulating body are thus tedious.